BMC removes 5,000 illegal hawkers across Mumbai in 2 weeks

Mumbai has only around 10,000 licensed hawkers.

Date: July 5, 2024

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed on Wednesday that after two weeks nearly 5,000 illegal hawkers have been removed across the city. As per the records, Mumbai has only around 10,000 licensed hawkers.

This time, the civic body is focusing on the specific areas with high footfall and where the number of illegal hawkers has grown over the past years. The localities, such as Dadar, Parel, Fort, Malad and Ghatkopar, were identified as hot spots for unauthorized hawking activities.

The BMC said that continuous and rigorous action would ensure a reduction in the number of illegal hawkers. Moreover, they have dumped all confiscated materials like handcarts and cylinders in its godowns as many citizens have complained that unauthorized hawkers return once the BMC staff go away after a crackdown. In the next few months, it will be destroyed and the material will be auctioned; while the gas cylinders are given into the possession of the company to which it belongs.

Explaining further about the new approach, additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Joshi said that they had changed the way civic staff was deployed and monitored. In an effort to ensure impartiality and avoid allegations of favouritism, the BMC shuffled its officers and did not send them to their own localities to take action.

The BMC has also implemented a system that requires officers on the ground to send their site locations regularly to the office staff. So there is a check being kept on the drive at every level, officials added.